Joshua 20 Comparison: Wycliffe Bible (1395) vs King James Version
Joshua 20
1And the Lord spak to Josue, and seide, Spek thou to the sones of Israel, and seie thou to hem,
2Departe ye the citees of fugytyues, `ether of men exilid for vnwilful schedyng of blood, of whiche citees Y spak to you bi the hond of Moises,
3that whoeuer sleeth vnwytyngli a man, fle to tho citees;
4that whanne he hath fled to oon of these citees, he may ascape the ire of the neiybore, which is veniere of blood. And he schal stonde bifor the yatis of the citee, and he schal speke to the eldre men of that citee tho thingis that schulen preue hym innocent; and so thei schulen reseyue hym, and schulen yyue to hym place to dwelle.
5And whanne the vengere of blood pursueth hym, thei schulen not bitake hym in to the hondis of the vengere; for vnwityngli he killide his neiybore, and is not preued his enemy bifor the secounde dai ethir the thridde dai.
6And he schal dwelle in that citee, til he stonde bifor the doom, and yelde cause of his dede. And he that killide a man, dwelle `in that citee, til the grete preest die, which is in that tyme; thanne the mansleere schal turne ayen, and he schal entre in to his citee and hows, `fro which he fledde.
7And thei ordeyneden Cedes in Galilee, of the hil of Neptalym, and Sichem in the hil of Effraym, and Cariatharbe, thilke is Ebron, in the hil of Juda.
8And biyende Jordan, ayens the eest coost of Jerico, thei ordeyneden Bosor, which is set in the feeldi wildirnesse of the lynage of Ruben, and Ramoth in Galaad, of the lynage of Gad, and Gaulon in Basan, of the lynage of Manasses.
9These citees weren ordeyned to alle the sones of Israel, and to comelyngis that dwellen among hem, that he that killide vnwityngli a man, schulde fle to tho citees; and he schulde not die in the hond of neiybore, coueitynge to venge the blood sched out, til he stood bifor the puple, to declare his cause.
Joshua 20
1The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying,
2Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
3That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
6And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
7And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath–arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
8And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
9These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
Understanding Wycliffe Bible (1395) vs King James Version in Joshua 20
Wycliffe Bible (1395) (Wycliffe)
The first complete English translation of the Bible (1395) by John Wycliffe and his followers. Translated from the Latin Vulgate. A landmark in English history and the Reformation.
King James Version (KJV)
The classic 1611 English translation known for its majestic prose and literary influence. Ideal for traditional study and memorization thanks to its formal style. A foundational English Bible used for centuries.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of Joshua 20 in the Wycliffe Bible (1395) and King James Version. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: Joshua 20:1
"And the Lord spak to Josue, and seide, Spek thou to the sones of Israel, and seie thou to hem,"
"The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying,"





